Increasingly, it has been recognized that various drugs utilized in conjunction with the treatment of illnesses and injuries may have undesirable side affects to medical personnel who handle such drugs. In this regard, given the hazardous nature of certain drugs, exposure to even a small amount of such drugs may be harmful.
By way of example, antineoplastic, cytotoxic, biologic, antiviral and immunosuppressive agents have been recognized as potentially hazardous drugs. At the same time, the employment of such drugs is increasing in relation to the treatment of numerous human diseases and conditions as well as in veterinary applications. In particular, hazardous drugs are now widely employed in conjunction with the treatment of cancer and HIV infection.
Exposure to hazardous drugs most typically occurs upon contact and/or inhalation in conjunction with the reconstitution and/or dilution of hazardous drugs that are provided in a powder or concentrated liquid form, or in connection with the administration of such hazardous drugs to patients. In the later regard, hazardous drugs are often administered in a liquid form via intravascular catheter ports.